The Naval Association

The Naval Association

of Australia

VA045 Wednesday 18 May 2005

MINISTER SAYS VETERANS' AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IS HERE TO STAY

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs, De-Anne Kelly, today responded to Veterans' concerns over the recent Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Budget submission.

The ACCI submission recommended the abolition of the Department of Veterans'
Affairs and the modification of the indexation of veterans' pensions.

"It is thoughtless in this commemorative year, the 90th anniversary of Gallipoli and the 60th anniversaries of Victory in Europe and Victory in the Pacific, that surviving veterans particularly the elderly and frail are given unnecessary cause for alarm," said Mrs Kelly.

"All Australians have benefited from a prosperous, free and democratic Australia bought with the blood, tears and pain of our serving men and women.

"The role of government is to make good decisions and in the recent Budget the Government again chose to support veterans further through programs administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

"Our spending priorities have been outlined in the Budget and have been welcomed by the veteran community."

The Budget strengthened veterans' health care, provided support to assist older veterans in paying their utilities bills and renewed funding for services to veterans and defence force members in regional areas.

The Government had increased funding for the care of the veteran and defence force communities to more than $10.8 billion in 2005-06, an increase of $278 million on 2004-05.

"Veterans' Affairs funding has risen under this Government from $6.5 billion in 1996 to more than $10.8 billion in this Budget - an average annual increase of 5.8 per cent," Mrs Kelly said.

A veterans' agency has existed within the Commonwealth for 87 years and there is no intention to change that arrangement.

"Veterans' pensions are indexed appropriately and I reinforce that the Government has no plans to change this arrangement," Mrs Kelly said.